Michael Stoop, vice-chairman of The Property Ombudsman and former managing director of Winkworth, has joined a proptech firm as a non-executive director.

Stoop will lend his experience to Sorbet, a software platform that claims to save letting agents and property managers time on scheduling maintenance and inspections.

Stoop, who also headed up Xperience, the Legal & General franchising brand bought by Martin & Co (now the Property Franchise Group), for 22 years, likened Sorbet to Uber.

He said: “Having remained active in the property market since leaving the Property Franchise Group in June 2017, I have watched with interest the growth in the proptech industry and how it is changing the landscape within the property industry.

“I have been very impressed with the set-up of Sorbet, their staff, values and aspirations.

“At this stage of my career, I only want to work with companies that can demonstrate a strategy that I absolutely believe in and most importantly, can make a real difference to the day-to-day lives of estate agents.”

Sorbet is headed by chief executive Brooke Williams, who came up with the idea after running his own property inspection company.

He co-founded the business, which claims to help with transparency, accuracy, and audit trails for the rental market, with former director of Dezrez, Richard Wilson.

Kevin Hughes, one of the founders of Gocompare.com, is also a non-executive director.

Sorbet is currently entering its second round of funding using the investment platform SyndicateRoom and is looking to raise £500,000 to enable a nationwide rollout.

Development Bank of Wales has also backed the product with additional funding following on from its initial investment in July 2016.

Williams said: “We are thrilled to have Michael on board. His track record in the property industry is unparalleled and having someone with such a high profile at such an early stage is a fantastic opportunity for Sorbet.

“We’re excited about working with Michael on growing the brand and with his help our customers will stay ahead of upcoming regulatory requirements.”